Show them the money to improve student outcomesIt’s been controversial but new information from the US indicates that the amount of money spent on schooling actually does improve outcomes but is dependent on how and where the money is spent. The US National Bureau of Economic Research undertook a review of the literature but with increased sophistication around causation and statistical methods and published their findings in December concluding that “… any claim that there is little evidence of a statistical link between school spending and student outcomes is demonstrably false”. Read more

High tech schools OK by Aussies … to a degreeAustralian adults are largely positive about the overall benefits of technology in schools, with significant support for the future rollout of online exams, blended learning classes and even facial recognition systems in classrooms. But there is a limit; the potential introduction of cognition-enhancing drugs – some of which have already been approved for use in the USA – received strong criticism, as did virtual schools. Read more

Resilience through laughter for young peopleHomunculus Theatre Company believe access to live performing arts contributes greatly to social-emotional skills development. It builds resilience, compassion, understanding of diversity, empathy, focus, problem-solving and communication skills, a sense of community and well-being. The Company’s annual Queensland and Tasmania In-Schools tour will feature internationally recognised Teaching Artist Clint Bolster, a Character Actor, Theatrical Clown, Commedia Dell’Arte and Mask Theatre Specialist, Stilt Performer and Trainer and Teaching Artist from Brisbane, Australia. Read more

NAPLAN prep could be a distractionAgain some shade for NAPLAN, with the assessment due in May the focus on reparation may come at the expense of the regular curriculum, says an education expert at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). Dr Don Carter is a senior lecturer in Teacher Education at UTS, with research interests in literacy development and curriculum design jointly conducted a study surveying 211 NSW English teachers, in which heavy criticism emerged of NAPLAN’s usefulness and relevance. Read more

KOMPAN Australia launch Matched Funding Grant Program for play equipmentKOMPAN Australia has launched a Matched Funding Grant Program, open to schools in Victoria and Western Australia, aiming to make quality play and fitness equipment more accessible for schools, kindergartens and childcare centres. To enter, applicants must make a submission detailing what their ideal playground or fitness space would look like. Eligible applications will be judged on a range of criteria including creativity, play value, how inclusive the space is, how the playground would complement the existing space, and how it would benefit the school community. Read more

Independent schools challenge idea of high feesWhile an independent schooling is the most expensive option The Independent Schools Council of Australia (ISCA) advises that the expense can be misrepresented. ISCA's Barry Wallett said that, “The most recent official data available shows a median Australian metropolitan Independent school fee of $6,685 per annum. Nationally, more than two-thirds of metropolitan Independent schools are charging below $10,000 per annum.” Read more

Brisbane to Host National Education SummitFor the first time, the National Education Summit will hold a Brisbane event in 2019, bringing a comprehensive professional development program to local educators Friday 31 May – Saturday 1 June at the Convention Centre. With the flagship summit continuing in Melbourne in August, the Brisbane event is a new addition to the long running summit. Read More

Bewdy! Non-English speakers adopt more AustralianismsThere are many unique aspects to Australia and the lingo is one of them. Testament to its expressiveness, non-English speaking migrants take to the Australian dialect more readily than English-speaking migrants. The research from the ANU School of Literature, Languages and Linguistics found migrants learning English as their second language use 'Aussie words', such as ‘esky’, ‘thong’, ‘doona’ and ‘nappy’ at the same rate as Australian-born people. Read more